


What Came Before

by MirTheOne



Category: Town of Salem (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, but just in case, it's a past narrative, nothing graphic, past parental abuse, tw abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 19:09:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17350928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MirTheOne/pseuds/MirTheOne
Summary: Thirteen years later, the past still haunts the arsonist





	What Came Before

Ever since he was a child, Ellis had learnt to accept one thing as a certainty.

Anytime something went wrong, it’s all his fault.

When he was six, when his father hit his mother strong enough that she fell to her knees, it was his fault. It must be, since his mother told him so. If he hadn’t nagged him about new toys, he wouldn’t be so upset as to hit his mother.

_Ross said it’s not my fault, but mom is grown-up, so she must be correct, right?_

When he was eight and his parents locked him in for talking with a paperboy from behind the tall fences surrounding his houses, it was his fault. It wasn’t until the next morning that he was allowed to leave his room. Ross tried to talk to him a few times during the day, but the next time he saw his brother, he had a bruise on his cheek.

_It’s my fault. If I hadn’t gotten myself grounded, Ross wouldn’t be punished too._

When he was ten and his parents fired Ms. Podgornaya, leaving her unemployed and homeless with no one to turn to, it was his fault. If he hadn’t insisted to always do things his way, his parents would always see her as an influence in his and Ross’ lives. 

_If I had behaved, she would still be near me_

Everything was his fault. If it’s not for him, his parents would be around more. If he’s not around, his family would be more like a real family. Only it wouldn’t be his, since he wouldn’t be around. It would just be his parents and Ross. 

Ross kept saying it’s never his fault, but Ellis always doubted that. It’s his fault everything bad happened to them, Ross was just collateral damage, he didn’t deserve everything that happened, Ross shouldn’t have protected him, but Ellis would do anything to keep his brother around-

When Ross left, just a few days shy of Ellis' 15th birthday, Ellis was left conflicted and numb. Ross left to be happy, so Ellis should be happy too, right? 

But he could only felt empty. The world felt hollow, silent, and dim. And as his parents blamed him for Ross leaving, as his parents kept telling him that everything was his fault, that they would rather had Ross than him, something else filled in on that emptiness.

Spite, anger, hatred... All emotions he hid away for years came bubbling back in the form of a demon who whispered in his ears _it’s not fair, isn’t it?_

When he was sixteen, half of his house burned to ashes. Authorities told him that his parents’ bedroom’s door was jammed, and the flames roasted their bodies down to the bone. There were hardly anything left to bury. They found that it was caused by an open fireplace and closed the case. In weeks, no one talked about the poor Armitage kid anymore.

When he was sixteen, his parents burnt to crisp and he was orphaned. 

For once, it was his fault.

And he didn’t feel guilty, not one bit.

***

When he was chosen as the arsonist thirteen years later, it was his fault.

He _did_ felt the slightest pang of regret, and yet he still didn’t feel any guilt.

***

“Earl, do you think I’m a bad person?”

Earl looked up from the reports he was working on. Ellis clung to him – and the back of his chair – from behind, resting his chin on Earl’s shoulder. Earl placed his hand on Ellis’ arm.

“Is it another nightmare?”

When Ellis stayed silent, Earl continued.

“Just because some stupid curse chose you as an arsonist because of a dark humor on how your parents die, that doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, Ellis.” He chuckled a bit. “In fact, I used to think you’re so nice I don’t deserve you.”

Ellis tightened his hug and sighed.

_If only you know..._

**Author's Note:**

> Ellis went through some dark, dark times before becoming the Ellis that Earl met in the Willows' house. It mostly came from dealing with the emotional mess of the aftermath of the first sixteen years of his life, which is where Peter came in and how he got to liking Peter so much. 
> 
> Despite being a librarian, Ellis' actually pretty well off from his family heritage. That's how he owns a two-story house and well, generally better living conditions than Earl, who is a doctor. Ross is Ellis's older brother, who left house when he was eighteen. He's alive somewhere, but they haven't had contact in years.
> 
> Ms. Podgornaya is no one important. She's just a nanny Ellis really liked who got fired when Ellis' parents decided Ross could take care of Ellis just fine, never mind that Ross was just thirteen.
> 
> Earl knows nothing about how Ellis' parents treat him, just that he refused to talk about it which he assumed to be Ellis hating to be reminded of their deaths.


End file.
